The following day, I brought my dad to school, hoping to finally get some clarity on what I was. Together, we walked up to Principal Elara's office, my heart pounding with a mix of nerves and anticipation. When I knocked on the closed door, the Principal's voice called us in, and I led the way.

As we stepped into the room, Principal Elara greeted me with a slight bow, saying, "How can I assist you this morning, Your Majesty?" Her acknowledgment of my status left me momentarily stunned. It was one thing to think of myself as something different, but hearing it from her felt surreal.

"I've brought my father with me," I explained, trying to compose myself. "He has some information about what I might be."

Dad stepped forward, his voice calm as he began, "Ah, yes. There are stories that ancient sailors of old Earth made up. They spoke of women with the tail of a fish. They called them mermaids. It was considered a fantastical story, one told to warn of the dangers of the sea."

Principal Elara listened carefully before interrupting, "Let me bring in one of our historians so we can try to make sense of this." She made a quick call, and soon after, Elder Drythin entered the room. He was a tall, thin elf with a weathered yet sharp expression. He introduced himself formally and then listened as my dad repeated his story.

"Interesting," Elder Drythin murmured once Dad had finished. "I spent the night searching the Queen's records and discovered a few scattered references to mermaids. Even in our world, mermaids were considered myths—fantastical creatures that sailors spoke of but could never prove existed. Any man who told stories of these creatures was met with skepticism, and no one ever found evidence of their existence."

He paused, looking at me closely. "So it seems 'mermaid' is as good a name as any, especially since you are the only known one. We will officially record the term in our histories if you are comfortable with it."

I nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of his words. Being the only mermaid in existence, both on Earth and in this world, left me with more questions than answers. I couldn't help but wonder—if I was the only mermaid, did that mean I would be alone? How could I be the Queen of the seas if I was the only one?

Instructor Alaria looked at me as I entered her classroom, her expression thoughtful. "Sam, I don't know what I can teach you anymore," she admitted. "Your control over water is near-perfect. You can do much more with water than any other Elven Mage has ever accomplished. For us, the water is something we manipulate with mana and spells to get the effects we desire. But for you, the water comes alive. I even think you could affect the weather if you wanted. Your magic doesn't require you to learn spells."

"May I swim while watching you teach the nymphs magic?" I asked.

Alaria smiled faintly, then nodded. "Promise not to interfere with their spell work, and I will let you stay."

I quickly promised, then stripped down and dove into the water. The instant I submerged, I felt the familiar connection with the element, the way it moved around me like an extension of my body. I could feel the mana of the other students interacting with the water, trying to force it to form a fountain in the center of the pool. At first, the water resisted the force of their mana, but soon enough, it gave way, creating a graceful spray in the center.

The nymphs cheered, encouraging the one who had cast the spell. I could sense, however, that her mana was waning, and as soon as it did, the last of the water collapsed back into the pool.

I swam back to the surface and approached Instructor Alaria. "Yes, Sam?" she asked, sensing I had something to say.

"I could feel her mana struggling against the water," I said, thinking through what I had observed. "The water was trying to resist the spell. She had to use a lot of mana to overcome the resistance. It was strange. Do all spells work to force an element to act in a way it doesn't want to?"

Alaria considered my question for a moment, clearly intrigued. "I've never thought of it that way. We've never considered that the elements might resist our spells. We assumed that some spells required more mana to achieve the desired effect. This is something we should discuss with the other instructors."

Satisfied with her answer, I dove back into the water, continuing to observe the other students as they practiced. It was fascinating how their magic interacted with the water in such a different way from mine. I couldn't help but wonder what other insights I might discover about magic—and myself—by simply observing and asking questions.

The fact that the Queen had acknowledged me as her equal spread quickly around the school, and it was apparent when I walked into the dining room. The elves treated me differently now, moving out of my way and bowing as I approached the nobles' section. I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. When I sat down, I noticed something else—someone in the kitchen had clearly taken my request for raw fish seriously. A beautifully raw mackerel was on my plate, and my mouth watered at the sight of it.

I guess it made sense. Living under the sea, there wouldn't be any fires to cook fish. Without hesitation, I plucked the eyes out of the fish and popped one into my mouth. The salty flavor burst as I bit down, and I moaned in pleasure. The food seemed to speak to something deep within me.

Across the table, the prince, Fen, looked at me with disgust. I smiled mischievously as I tossed the other eye into my mouth. "What's wrong, Fen? Don't like what I eat? I live in the water, so of course, I eat raw fish."

Gwen giggled, clearly entertained by my display. "Rumor has it that you discovered what species you are."

"Yep," I replied, nodding. "I'm a mermaid. Mermaids were considered a myth on both old Earth and in your culture. So there you have it—a creature of both worlds that supposedly never existed in either. Go figure."

Gwen leaned forward, intrigued. "I also heard the nymphs aren't too happy with how you use magic."

I sighed. "Yeah, unfortunately. They cast magic the same as all elves—through spells. But for me, the water reacts to my commands without any need for spells. The water and I share the mana with each other."

Gwen's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "I wonder if you can share mana with other elements."

We continued our conversation, discussing magic and the strange abilities I had developed. As we were about to finish eating, another noble confronted me and strode up to me with an air of arrogance.

"You will need help running a kingdom," he said confidently. "I am more than qualified to run your kingdom for you, and I will allow you to be my wife so you can live in a stable kingdom."

I blinked, utterly taken aback by his audacity. I glanced at Gwen, who shrugged, barely holding back laughter.

"So, whatever your name is," I began, a smirk forming on my lips, "you're saying that you'll run my kingdom and I could marry you? Can you even breathe underwater? No? Then why do you think you could run my kingdom better than I can when you can't even make it to my kingdom?"

I paused, then added, "And why on Earth would I marry a misogynistic man like you? You'd allow me to marry you? How about you go fuck yourself instead."

The noble's face flushed red with rage. "You stupid human, you should feel lucky to have a man like me in your life."

Before I could respond, Gwen slammed her hand down on the table, her voice sharp and commanding. "Archie, you've offended Queen Sam. You will be escorted to the stockade, awaiting trial before my mother. You have embarrassed yourself and the other nobles of Faen Shanta. Guards!" she called out, her tone icy. "Escort this disgrace of an elf to the stockade—and arrest his family as well."

Archie's face twisted in shock as the guards approached, and the other nobles averted their eyes, clearly embarrassed by his actions. I sat back, feeling the satisfaction of Gwen's swift justice. Still, the encounter left me with a lingering thought: being the Queen of the Seas wouldn't just be about commanding water; it would also be about navigating these political waters.

As I sat there, still reeling from the encounter with Archie, I found myself lost in thought. I had never met anyone so pompous, someone who clearly saw me as nothing more than a title and an opportunity to elevate his status. His arrogance had been shocking, but the deeper issue was how this would affect my standing within the Elven courts. What would become of him? And how would the fallout impact my future here?

The bigger question still lingered in my mind: Where would I even establish my kingdom? It didn't seem wise to set it up near Faen Shanta—that could easily lead to accusations of favoritism or the appearance that I was too close to the elven power structures. But then, where did I belong? The oceans were vast, and though I felt strongly connected to the water, I had no idea where to begin.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden presence. A courier stood before me, holding an official letter sealed with the state emblem of the Queen. The weight of the situation became even heavier. Whatever the Queen wanted to communicate was official—and likely significant. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever came next.

The missive read:

Liatris Dawnwish, Queen of Faen Shanta, does request the presence of Sam Winters, Queen of the Seas, to attend a meeting of the world leaders. It will take place on the Fall equinox at Faen Shanta. Queen Sam Winters will be formally declared as Queen of Seas. The family is also requested to attend.

I finished reading the message and let its weight sink in. The Fall Equinox was only a month away, and I was to be officially declared the Queen of the Seas at a meeting of world leaders. The thought was both thrilling and overwhelming. I had no idea what such a declaration would entail, and the fact that my family was also expected to attend only added to the gravity of the situation.

I needed to prepare for the ceremony and understand what it meant to truly step into this role. I had a month to figure out what being the Queen of the Seas required and how I would navigate this new, unpredictable world of politics and responsibility.

When I arrived at Elvish Writing, we started working on a design for a circle that would protect us from the elements. Although I did not require this protection from water, I decided to develop one to protect others from my element.

I closed my eyes and focused on the water. Once I felt the mana flowing between us, I communicated with the water, asking if it could help me develop a magic circle that would hold back the waters and protect those who could not live in the water.

Memories started to flood into my mind of an intricate circle that would allow people to survive in the water and breathe. This circle would enable me to bring my family wherever I constructed my home.

My design looked different from the script we were being taught in class. The language and symbols were not Elvish, but I could read and understand the language. It was as if this language was coming from racial knowledge. I worked diligently on the circle. I knew it would have to be carved into stone so it would work underwater. It was not as intricate as the circle in my study, but then again, all I was doing was holding back water and creating a means to breathe air.

If I etched this on a floor, I would have to pump it full of mana to create a livable room. I knew this would be something I would use a lot once I established my palace.

As I completed my design, Instructor Firflight came over to review my work. "What the hell is this gibberish?" He snatched the parchment from my hands.

"That would be my racial language, Sir," I said nervously.

"This is Elvish Writing, and I wanted a spell that actually works. How can this crap work when you didn't write a proper inscription?" He huffed at me.

"I promise it will work. I'll show you I can create a livable environment underwater with this inscription."

"You were told to make an inscription that would protect you from your element. Not this crap."

"I don't need protection from my element; it does as I command."

"Does as you command? Right. No one has that much control over an element. It's not like water has a will of its own. Just get out of my classroom if you can't follow directions."

I got up and left, grabbing my parchment from the instructor. I headed straight to the principal office. I was frustrated that I couldn't learn magic here. No one here taught me anything. I just had to figure it out for myself.

After the incident in class, I made my way to the Principal's office, frustration bubbling inside me. I felt like I wasn't learning anything from the instructors here. I was dismissed whenever I tried to approach magic from my unique perspective. It was as if no one understood that my connection to water was different, something beyond their spells and rules.

The circle I had created wasn't just some random drawing—it was a memory, something ingrained in me from my heritage, even if I didn't fully understand it yet. The symbols flowed from my hand as naturally as breathing, and I knew deep down that it would work. But no one seemed willing to listen.

When I arrived at the Principal's office, I knocked firmly, determined to get some answers or, at the very least, some support in my education.

Principal Elara welcomed me into her office, listening intently as I vented my frustration about the day's events. I explained everything—the Elvish Writing class, the instructor's dismissal of my work, and how I struggled to learn anything meaningful in the magic classes.

After I finished, she nodded thoughtfully and spoke calmly, reassuringly. "Your Majesty, I've spoken with your instructors, and based on what we've observed, I'm pulling you out of the standard magic classes. Of course, your core subjects will still need to be completed, but from now on, you will be working with the elder mages from the palace."

My frustration started to ease as she continued. "These elders are scholars of magic, dedicated to learning from every imaginable source. They are particularly interested in how your magic works, especially since it doesn't follow the traditional rules we're accustomed to. They'll want to test you in different ways to understand how you control water, and I'm sure they'll be excited to see your magic circle in action."

The idea of working with scholars who were eager to learn about my magic felt like a relief. This could finally be the chance to explore what I could do without being restricted by traditional methods. Maybe, just maybe, this would be the breakthrough I needed.

Leaving Principal Elara's office, I felt less frustrated than before. There was hope that working with the elder mages might finally help me unlock the more profound mysteries of my magic. But as I walked through the halls, another thought tugged at me—my original dream of joining the Mage Corps. That dream was slipping further away with every new title and responsibility. Now that I had become a queen, there was no way I could pursue that path.

Life had changed so drastically in just a few short weeks. Everything I thought I knew about my future was now upended, and I felt a deep need to reflect and come to terms with it all.

When I got home that evening, I showed my parents the Queen's invitation for the Fall Equinox and explained my request: I needed a break and wanted to spend the weekend in the waters of the Great Lake, an hour north of Faen Shanta. I needed time away from school and everything to truly live in my natural form—far from the confines of a pool.

It took some convincing. My parents were worried about the dangers of the lake, especially the rumors of great monsters lurking in its depths. But I assured them I would be fine—I could outswim anything. What I didn't tell them was that I secretly hoped to encounter those creatures. I felt that if they existed, I might be able to communicate with them. That, however, was a tidbit I'd save for after the trip.

My parents took me to the human city on the southern shore of the Great Lake, a bustling hub for fishing and cargo vital to the Faen Shanta kingdom. As we walked toward the shoreline, I could feel eyes on me, curious glances from people who likely wondered who—or what—I was.

At the water's edge, I hugged my family, promising them I'd meet them in the same spot the following evening. Dad turned his head, still getting used to the new me, as I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the cold water. The chill was only slight to me, and as soon as I submerged, my body changed, becoming one with the water. Instantly, I felt at home, completely comfortable in the cool embrace of the lake.

I surfaced once more, waving to my family from the water before diving back under and swimming away from the shore, ready to explore the vastness of the Great Lake in my proper form.

The water was surprisingly clear as I followed a fishing boat, curious to see what kind of catch they were hauling. I kept my distance, swimming deep enough so that no one on board could see me, observing the nets as they dragged along the lake's surface. After a while, I grew bored of watching the boat. I craved more—something deeper beneath the surface.

Deciding it was time to test my limits, I dove straight down into the lake's depths. The pressure around me increased as I descended, but my body adjusted effortlessly as if it had always been meant to thrive in the depths. The realization that I could explore the deep waters without issue opened up endless possibilities. I swam farther down, eager to explore every inch of the lake, the first of many in this chain of lakes that stretched to the ocean.

As I swam along the lake floor, I stumbled upon several shipwrecks. Most of the ships appeared to have been carrying useless cargo, but one wreck in particular caught my attention. It was old, with little left of the structure except scattered debris. Amid the wreckage, I found a metal chest with a nearly rusted-through lock. With a sharp tug, the clasp broke, and I opened the chest.

Inside, I found small stacks of paper with some guy's face printed on them and the number "100" in two corners. They didn't look important, so I set them aside. What really caught my attention was a smaller box hidden beneath the paper. Inside, I found jewelry—several gold rings, each adorned with various gems. I slid the rings onto my fingers, chuckling at the thought of starting my royal treasury with these newfound treasures.

But what captivated me was an intricate necklace studded with clear and green gems. The pendant attached to the necklace held the largest clear gem I had ever seen. It sparkled in the light that filtered down from the surface, practically calling out to be worn. Without hesitation, I put the necklace on, admiring how it shimmered against my skin.

I smiled, amused by the thought that this was just the beginning of my treasures as Queen of the Seas.

With my newly acquired treasure, I continued my exploration along the lake's floor—most of what I found after that was unremarkable—scattered remnants of long-forgotten voyages. But an Elven sword caught my eye at one of the last wrecks. The mana radiating from it was palpable, strong enough for me to sense its value immediately. This was no ordinary weapon. I attached the sword to my waist, feeling its weight and power settle against me, and pressed on.

After some time, hunger started to gnaw at me, so I decided to hunt for fish. It didn't take long to find a decent-sized catch, and as I bit into the flesh, the fresh taste overwhelmed me. There was something deeply satisfying about catching and eating my food directly from the water, a reminder of the connection I had to this world beneath the surface. It felt natural, as if I had been doing this my whole life.

The blood in the water had drawn something much larger—a beast with the face of an alligator, a massive body, and a long, sweeping tail. He was easily four times my size, and the thought crossed my mind that he could swallow me whole if he wanted to. But instead of attacking, the creature spoke, his voice low and rumbling, "Mistress, your kind have come back to take control of the waters?"

Surprised that I could understand his grunts and growls, I responded in a series of chirps and clicks, "May I know the sir's name?"

"I am known as Garfin, my Mistress," he replied.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Garfin. I am Queen Sam. I'm afraid I do not know of others of my kind. I have only recently discovered my true form."

Garfin lowered his massive head slightly in acknowledgment. "Mistress, welcome to the waters. If you ever need assistance, please call on me and my kind. We will always protect those who rule the seas."

I smiled, still trying to grasp this new reality. "Thank you, Garfin. I will rest now, as I must return to land tomorrow. But I plan to be back very soon."

Garfin gave a deep, respectful bow before swimming away into the depths, leaving me with a strange sense of reassurance. It seemed I wasn't as alone in the water as I had once thought.

I arrived at the beach earlier than expected, thanks to Garfin's swift and powerful swimming. Sitting in the surf, I cradled my injured arm, trying to stay comfortable while the healing continued. It wasn't long before I noticed people gathering nearby, their curious eyes on me. Word must have spread quickly about the "strange half-woman, half-fish" that had been spotted.

I fielded a few questions but soon grew weary of the attention. All I wanted was for my parents to arrive so I could finally relax and avoid the growing crowd of onlookers.

As my family ran down the beach, trying to push their way through the crowd, I could feel my frustration rising. I screamed for people to let them through, but the onlookers were too caught up in their curiosity to pay attention, pushing my family back each time they tried to approach.

Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder echoed through the area, silencing the crowd, and a commanding voice rang out, "Make way for the Queen!" The crowd parted instantly, and my family was finally able to run over to me. My mother was the first to reach me, frantically trying to put a dress over my head, but with only one functional arm, it became a tangled mess.

"Just get me a skirt, Mom, please," I said, wincing as the fabric twisted awkwardly around me. Megan darted back to the carriage to fetch a skirt while I sat there, still trying to support my injured arm.

The Queen approached me, her expression serious as she knelt beside me. "What has injured you so badly, Queen Sam?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"It was a vessel," I explained, my voice steady despite the pain. "They were using harpoons."

As the Queen helped me remove the sword from my hip, her eyes briefly scanned its intricate design. "This sword... where did you find it?" she asked.

"I'll explain later, I promise," I replied, eager to get off the beach.

As Dad carefully pulled me from the water, Megan slipped a skirt to my waist. The crowd gasped as my legs reappeared once I was entirely out of the lake. With Megan and Dad's help, I climbed inside the Queen's carriage. I sat beside the Queen as a healer immediately began working on my shoulder, using magic to speed up the healing process.

Mom, still crying at the sight of my injury, choked out, "Sam, what happened to you? You promised to be careful out there."

I took a deep breath, trying to reassure her. "I'm sorry, Mom. I got complacent on my way back. I was swimming, enjoying the sun as it filtered through the water, when a ship using harpoons must have spotted me. One hit my shoulder, and I cried out in pain. But don't worry—the monsters of the lake came to my rescue."

I could see the relief in her eyes, but the worry was still there. I knew this incident had shaken them as much as it had me.

"What do you mean, monsters of the lake?" Dad asked, his voice laced with anger and concern.

I met his eyes and tried to explain calmly. "Just what I said, Dad. I met this giant alligator-type fish named Garfin yesterday. He recognized me as the Mistress of the Waters. He was friendly and immediately offered me his and his kind's protection."

Dad's expression softened slightly, though the worry hadn't left his face. "And you trusted him?"

I nodded. "Yes. When I was injured, Garfin and his kin came to my rescue, along with another creature, Windstorm, who was even larger. They're part of the waters—they see me as their Queen and are loyal to me."

Dad was quiet for a moment, taking in what I'd said. "I just don't want to lose you, Sam. You're getting involved in things none of us understand."

"I know," I said gently. "But I'm learning. And I'm not alone."

Liatrish asked me to explain Windstorm to her.

"Oh, she is just the loveliest giant there is. She is massive, like twice the size of the ship that attacked. She was more whale-like but was a fish. I am delighted to have her down there to protect me."

"So you can talk to the fish then?" Mom asked.

"Not all of them, just the big ones. The small ones are too stupid to communicate. They made good food while I was down there." I replied, much to everyone's disbelief.

"What about the treasure you found?" Liatrish asked.

"The shipwrecks, yes. Well, I went through many shipwrecks yesterday. Most were filled with useless cargo, but one ancient ship had a metal chest. Most of what was in the chest was just some useless papers, but I found this small box with all this pretty jewelry. I found that sword in one of the later wrecks I was searching. The amount of mana in that thing led me straight to it. Why? What's so important about that sword?"

Liatrish hugged the sword, "This was my husband's sword. We lost him fifty years ago."

I smiled softly as I watched Queen Liatrish hug the sword close, understanding how much it meant to her. "I'm truly sorry for your loss," I said gently. "The sword belongs with you and your family."

Liatrish looked up, her eyes soft but full of gratitude. "Thank you, Sam. This sword has been missing for so long, and it means the world to have it back. I will provide you with a reward for your kindness in returning it."

I nodded, grateful for the chance to do something meaningful for her. Though my discovery of the sword had been accidental, it had led to something far more important than just treasure—it had helped reconnect a piece of history for Liatrish and her family.

"Liatrish, why did you show up at the beach?" I asked, curious about the timing of her arrival. "Not that I wasn't grateful for the help, but it did seem a little strange."

The Queen gave a small smile. "You were all over the feeds, Sam. I saw the pictures people were taking of you, and it was clear from the images that you were injured. I knew something must have gone wrong if you were stranded on the beach."

I groaned, rubbing my forehead. "Those are not the first pictures of me I wanted the world to see."

"I am assigning Gwen to assist you so you're prepared for the trial in a few days," Liatrish said after we had ridden in silence for a while.

"What trial?" Dad asked, his voice tense with concern.

"Dad, it's not that big of a deal," I replied, trying to downplay the situation. "An elf at school insulted me, and now he's on trial."

Dad's eyes narrowed, and he gave me an angry look. "Sam, that doesn't sound like it's not a big deal."

Before I could respond, Liatrish stepped in, her tone calm and reassuring. "Sir, I assure you, it is as Sam said. An Elven noble insulted your daughter, but his insult is considered a crime because she is recognized as a queen. If it had been any other noble he insulted, he would have to pay restitution."

Dad looked at her, trying to process the gravity of the situation, but Liatrish's words seemed to calm him somewhat. Still, I knew this trial was a bigger deal than I'd initially let on, and now I had to prepare for what was to come.